May 10, 2014
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Honorable Chairperson Suk Soo Kim of the Board of Directors, to President Sam Goo Park of the Yonsei Alumni Association, as well as to our distinguished guests and Yonsei alumni who have returned to our campus to commemorate their 25th-year and 50th-year graduation anniversaries. Also importantly, I would like to thank all students, faculty members and alumni for gracing us with your presence today to celebrate the 129th anniversary of Yonsei University. I would like especially to congratulate those Yonseians who will be receiving awards for their dedicated service, outstanding research, and academic accomplishments today.
Esteemed Yonsei family,
Before beginning my speech today to celebrate the 129th anniversary of Yonsei, I would like to first express my apologies for the inconveniences caused by the construction work on campus. Every May we celebrate our school’s anniversary at our campus grounds, mantled in fresh verdure; but this year we are carrying out extensive construction work all around the main Sinchon Campus. Symbolic university icons such as the Eagle Statue, which has been guarding Baekyang-ro for many years, have been temporarily transferred to a safe location. I am sure many of our alumni who have returned after many years must be disappointed to see a campus that has changed so drastically.
However, Yonsei is preparing to take a big leap to make new history. While still keeping valued traditions in our hearts, we are proceeding forward to pioneer the bright future of Yonsei. The Third Founding initiative that I had proclaimed at my inauguration as President will finally be revealed in detail next year as we celebrate our 130th anniversary. Yonsei University, your proud alma mater, and Baekyang-ro are in the early stages of making fresh history on a grand scale that parallels the creation of the earth.
It must also be a disappointment to miss the azaleas that splendidly covered the hill in front of Yongjae Hall every year. However, I believe that the true spring of life has arrived at our campus this year. As green sprouts shoot up through the land frozen from winter, new life and new history are surging upward at the Sinchon Campus. Our long-awaited construction project has come into full force for Baekyang-ro, School of Business, Jejung and Beophyeon Residence, College of Engineering, and the College of Science.
My proud Yonsei family,
Our Yonsei University is not only writing new history in terms of infrastructure such as the Baekyangro reconstruction project. Great news has been delivered to announce that both in name and reality, Yonsei have moved beyond national boundaries to become the best private university in Asia. The QS World University Rankings placed Yonsei in the top 110, while the Times Higher Education “Reputation Evaluation” has listed Yonsei University in the top 81-90th tier, which marks our first time of making it into the world’s top 100. Also, Yonsei ranks at the top 20 among all private universities in the world, in addition to ranking number one in Asia.
It is not surprising that Yonsei maintains the title of the best private university in Korea, but it is exhilarating to see our name as the best private university in Asia. The reputation of our students’ excellence no longer requires any proof. Yonsei’s Law School has rapidly developed into the nation’s top institution with the highest bar examination passing rates in terms of student ratio and also in the absolute number of students compared to other law schools with more students. Yonsei will no longer limit its competition within the boundaries of Korea, but will expand it to cover the world as Asia’s best university to become a world-class university that truly contributes to the history and future of humanity.
Behind the shining footsteps of Yonsei’s development, we can find the hidden dedication and commitment of our foundation, faculty members, alumni, and enrolled students. There have been early signs of crisis for post-secondary education, which are amplified by the inadequate conditions provided by the country’s education and healthcare policies. Despite such difficulties, our Yonsei community has always united to undertake new challenges and make new history.
In particular, the Residential College system at the Yonsei International Campus in Songdo has been evaluated to be more than just a success story for undergraduate education. It has been appraised as a new model for Korean post-secondary education. Previously, many had expressed concerns about our ambitious project to transform the ocean into a cutting-edge campus with a residential college system for freshman students within seven years. Today, our International Campus has finally accomplished our mission. Its external extension works are still under construction. According to our master plan to establish the model of a future university, the first and second phases of the International Campus development project have been completed. Last year, additional buildings for residence and chapel, as well as the POSCO Green Building, were newly constructed, transforming the campus to now boast the latest state-of-the-art facilities and research equipment across 75.97 acres of land.
The campus reconstruction project is also taking place at the Yonsei University Health System. The opening of the Yonsei Cancer Hospital last April 30 marked a new milestone in Korea’s history of medicine. The size and quality of the clinical facilities to cure chronic illness are outstanding on its own, but the beauty of the buildings show Yonsei’s Christian spirit, as it plants the hope of salvation as Noah’s Arc did, for all patients battling against cancer.
By the end of this August, Woojeong Residence, the new residential space at our Sinchon campus, will be ready to take in approximately 450 students. We also held the ground-breaking ceremony for a new residence building that combines Medical School’s Jejung Residence and Law Graduate School’s Beophyeon Residence to host 1,000 students, as well as an apartment building for international faculty members. The Baekyang-ro reconstruction project and renovation of the School of Business will be completed by next August to renew the topographic map of our Sinchon Campus. At Wonju Campus, the long-awaited mission of building an ambulatory care unit and outpatient clinic is proceeding well. We will also complete the establishment of a “Smart Campus” network this year to expand Yonsei’s info-communication infrastructure and launch the Open Campus eXperience (OCX) project to bring forth an open lecture platform that can effectively share educational resources.
Respected Yonsei family,
The history of Yonsei’s Third Founding will not be made alone with the extension of campus infrastructure. Strengthening our campus infrastructure is only a basic condition that will help our university become a world-class institution. Yonsei is already the nation’s best in three of the four basic missions of a university, namely, education, medical care and social contribution, with the exception of research. Therefore, if we continue to strengthen our research capabilities, Yonsei’s proud history of 130 years will soon reach its peak by accomplishing all four missions.
Based on its extended cutting-edge infrastructure, Yonsei shall strive to become a world-class university in teaching and research, which are the fundamental mission fields of all universities. Starting this year, we will strengthen the Yonsei brand that can compete against other universities around the world by specializing our teaching and research areas. We will expand specialization programs such as the Underwood International College, which has already gained international recognition, to restructure the university and enhance the quality of the curriculum.
In reflection of the two valuable gifts sent by Dr. Horace Underwood 129 years ago, the Word of God and modern education, we will now lead the way of sharing what we had received for others in need. By establishing the Global Institute of Theology, we will invite students from underdeveloped countries for theological education. In addition, as Yonsei joined the Association of Pacific Rim Universities last year, we are advancing our international reputation by strengthening multilateral cooperation with other world-class universities. In addition, we are nearing the completion of the 3-Campus Consortium for Comparative East Asian Studies (“G10”), which will establish partnerships with ten world-class universities, including Princeton University, Cornell University, and King’s College London, under our leadership.
To further strengthen our research capabilities, Yonsei established the Institute of Convergence Science last year. With the new Institute, we will continue to expand our support for international research cooperation and basic as well as convergence research, in addition to fostering an environment to develop new research ideas. At the same time, we will actively enlarge our research areas to include basic and convergence studies, as well as international cooperation research. For this purpose, we will secure 3 billion KRW in research funds annually to introduce an innovative research support system. We will also propel the construction of the Bio-Medical Science Park to increase our convergence research and education competitiveness in the field of life sciences.
Beloved Yonsei family,
Yonsei’s noble history began with the seeds of the Gospel and Western-styled university education planted by blue-eyed American missionaries 129 years ago. We were the recipients of their love and sacrifice. Now Yonsei will further magnify and pass on the spirit of the love and sacrifice we have received for so many years. We will accelerate our footsteps towards the world, while opening our doors and developing our university into a sanctuary of learning that teaches intellectuals from around the world. Until today, we have interpreted the meaning of Yonsei as a university that “reaches out to the world.” However, the word ‘Yon’ in Yonsei also carries the meaning of “drawing in” and “making the two connected.” Yonsei will now open our doors to draw in and lead the world’s best intellectuals.
China’s classic book Han Shu‘s Volume 58 uses an expression that goes “to draw in the wise men through the east door from the whole country by giving them special treatments.” In addition to using the regular gate, it opens even the smallest door to draw in the best talents from around the nation to teach them and to change the world. The Chinese character used for our “Yon”(延) in Yonsei is also used in this Chinese expression. We can find the future of the new Yonsei here. While taking bold steps towards the world, we need to keep all of our doors and even the smallest windows open to draw in the best talents to become the world’s leading university. We shall become a school that connects the world. I firmly believe that it is not impossible for us to proclaim this goal, as we already stand firm as Asia’s best university.
Esteemed Yonsei family,
On every anniversary, we proudly sing the first verse of the Yonsei Anthem:
“The spirit of our people protected over the century
We have been sowing the truth and freedom
As Mountain Muak stands high in the backyard
Prevail forever with steadfastness and wisdom.”
We have been carrying the spirit of the people for well over a century and it has already been 129 years since the Yonsei University first stood high as the beacon of steadfastness and wisdom. Our entire Yonsei family has walked down the trails as pioneers, living throughout the history of the nation together. We can now proudly proclaim our status as the best private university in Asia, but this is not to be our final mission.
The ancient Greek epic poems Odyssey by Homer, fundamental to the modern Western canon, tells a story of the protagonist Odyssey and his fellows as they return home after the Trojan War. As they rowed with all their might to return home, they are challenged by high waves and tempted by sea nymphs. Despite all hardships, Odyssey and his colleagues returned home after ten years of war, followed by another ten years of rowing. Finally, upon setting foot on his homeland, Odyssey remarks,
“We have still not reached the end of our trials. One more labor lies in store - boundless, laden with danger, great and long, and I must brave it out from start to finish.”
Beloved Yonsei family,
Three years ago, I was inaugurated as President of Yonsei University with the slogan of “YONSEI, where we make history.” I had a sense of desperation that we would not leave our mark in history if we did not make history ourselves. The slogan was my promise to help Yonsei take off into the new phase of the Third Founding by continuing our shining legacy of 129 years.
It is inevitable that we will continue to face countless challenges in the future. However, we will write the history of the Third Founding together, regardless of how difficult they may be. The past 129 years of Yonsei’s history was full of new challenges and conquests. According to the Bible, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called to his purpose (Romans 8:28).” Our founders had the same calling 129 years ago when they crossed the ocean to sow the seeds of the Gospel and pave the groundwork for Yonsei. Now it is time for us to align our callings to participate in the making of Yonsei’s new history.
Yonsei University will not only take great strides towards the world but will also become the leading university in the world by attracting world-class talents. Through Yonsei, we will create new history where the world becomes connected to one another. May God’s abundant love and grace, which have bestowed upon us for the past 129 years, continue to stay within our hearts, overflowing with excitement for the future.
Thank you.